Business documents can be created as part of business processes. For example, a business process related to purchasing can create one or more purchase order documents as well as other related documents, such as material, outbound delivery and accounting documents. In some situations, the documents can be related hierarchically, e.g., meaning that purchase order documents can logically include material, outbound delivery and accounting documents.
Business processes can be performed across boundaries of multiple computer systems, some or all of which can be in different locations. As a result, the time necessary to complete a business process and to create the corresponding business document can in turn depend on how long it takes to generate and/or complete related documents that may be created at various locations throughout the world. Each of the locations, for example, can have different hardware, personnel and unique conditions, some or all of which can contribute to the time needed to complete a business document and/or part of a business process.